Bail denied for pair charged with attempted murder

Two men charged with the attempted murder of a Hamilton man during one of two aggravated robberies in the city have been denied bail.

Te Aihurangi Edwards Tangiora, 25, and Darren Joseph Mark, 27, were remanded in custody by Judge Peter Spiller until their appearance in the High Court at Hamilton next month.

In the Hamilton District Court today, Tangiora and Mark entered no plea to charges of participating in an organised criminal group, aggravated robbery of an employee of the Still Working Bar of $18,780 cash on May 18 while armed with a sawn off shotgun, aggravated robbery of an employee of the Frankton TAB of $2,400 cash and $1,800 worth of personal items while armed with a Ruger 10 22 hunting rifle and hunting knife on April 12, attempted murder of an employee of the Frankton Tab and two charges of theft of a motor vehicle on April 12 and May 18.

Police say 20 people have been charged.

Other accused are expected in Hamilton District Court tomorrow.

Tangiora and Mark are two of 20 people facing charges in relation to seven different aggravated robberies in the Waikato and Coromandel over the past few months.